Esio Trot

Mr. Hoppy is a shy, retired bachelor who harbors a secret passion for his neighbor, the kind-hearted widow Mrs. Silver. Unfortunately, Mrs. Silver’s affections are focused entirely on her pet tortoise, Alfie. When Mrs. Silver expresses her distress that Alfie has failed to grow in the many years she has owned him, Mr. Hoppy seizes the opportunity to win her heart. He devises a brilliant and elaborate plan involving a 'magic' ancient spell—written in reverse, where 'Esio Trot' is simply 'Tortoise' spelled backward—and a collection of 140 tortoises of varying sizes. By secretly replacing Alfie with progressively larger tortoises over several weeks using a custom-made metal 'grabber,' Mr. Hoppy convinces Mrs. Silver that her beloved pet is finally growing. This heartwarming and humorous tale, first published in 1990 and illustrated by Quentin Blake, is a classic Roald Dahl story about the extraordinary lengths a person will go to for love.

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